Star Wars fic: "Queen's Gambit" (27: Lines in the Sand)

[bedlamsbard]

Queen's Gambit (281122 words) by bedlamsbard
Chapters: 28/?
Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Padmé Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Dooku (Star Wars), Palpatine | Darth Sidious, Mace Windu, Yoda, Bail Organa, Ahsoka Tano, Quinlan Vos, Barriss Offee, Plo Koon, Luminara Unduli, Adi Gallia, Stass Allie, CT-7567 | Rex
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Parallel Universes
Series: Part 2 of Ouroboros
Summary:

Civil war threatens the galaxy. Hundreds of star systems have declared their intentions to leave the Republic and form a Confederacy of Independent Systems.

In the hopes of securing a quick peace, the Jedi Council has dispatched two Jedi to capture or kill the leaders of the separatist movement, Queen Amidala of Naboo and her lover, the former Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Into this period of conflict have come four refugees from another universe, fleeing a devastating massacre triggered by the death of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, secretly the Sith lord Darth Sidious, at the hands of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker…

*

The door slid open, Naboo marines jumping in surprise and scrambling to level their blasters at her. Luminara let herself smile, sharp, and said, “I want to speak to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Queen Amidala.”

She kept her hands where the guards could see them, for their sakes, and leaned against the doorframe, deliberately casual in a way that she usually avoided. This time, though, she wanted the reaction that it would get.

“How did you –” one of the marines began, staring, before a companion elbowed him in the ribs and he sputtered to a stop on the words.

“I want to speak to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Queen Amidala,” Luminara repeated. “They’ll see me.”

Obi-Wan would, she was certain of that, and she was almost positive that it was him that she needed to convince, not the Queen. In this case, at least, the Queen would take her husband’s lead.

The marine sergeant, Khabur, jerked her chin at the other marines and stepped slightly aside to tap her comlink. The others kept their blasters fixed on Luminara as she let the door slide shut behind her.

“My lady, I’m sorry to disturb you,” Master Sergeant Khabur said after a moment. “One of the Jedi wants to speak to Her Royal Highness and Captain Kenobi.”

“Which one?” The woman’s voice was rough with sleep; the call must have woken her up.

Khabur’s glance slid towards Luminara. “The Mirialan. Luminara Unduli.”

NB: The internal chapter numbering is one off AO3’s numbering, since AO3 counts the prologue as a chapter. At this point, it’s too much trouble to change it.